Every HTML element has a default display value depending on what type of element it is. The default display value for most elements is block or inline.
Block-level Elements
A block-level element always starts on a new line and takes up the full width available (stretches out to the left and right as far as it can).
Examples of block-level elements:
- <div>
- <h1> - <h6>
- <p>
- <form>
Inline Elements
An inline element does not start on a new line and only takes up as much width as necessary.
This is an inline <span> element inside a paragraph.
Examples of inline elements:
- <span>
- <a>
- <img>
The <div> Element
The <div> element is a block-level element that is often used as a container for other HTML elements.
The <div> element has no required attributes, but style and class are common.
When used together with CSS, the <div> element can be used to style blocks of content:
Example
<div style="background-color:black; color:white; padding:20px;">
<h2>London</h2>
<p>London is the capital city of England. It is the most populous city in the United Kingdom, with a metropolitan area of over 13 million inhabitants.</p>
</div>
Try it Yourself »The <span> Element
The <span> element is an inline element that is often used as a container for some text.
The <span> element has no required attributes, but style and class are common.
When used together with CSS, the <span> element can be used to style parts of the text:
HTML Grouping Tags
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <div> | Defines a section in a document (block-level) |
| <span> | Defines a section in a document (inline) |